Sustaining the "Outlaw" Image / Ring of Fire

Despite losing all control of his addictions, and becoming an nervous, wayward person as a result Cash still produced popular songs, and his creativity with his music lead to one of his most popular songs to this date; Ring of Fire. The 1963 hit was again popular on both the pop charts as well as on the country charts, spanning his appeal outside of the Southern Country and gospel genre he had been raised on. This period of Cash's life reinforced the image he held of being an "Outlaw" as he ended in jail several times, but never actually served a prison sentence. One of his most well-known run-ins with the law was in 1965, when he was arrested for attempting to smuggle amphetamines across the Mexican border.

The song, Ring of Fire was originally written by June Carter, who was at the time, falling in love with Cash, despite his current marriage to Vivian Liberto. It was first recorded by her sister, who had little success, Cash covered the song, adding in the sounds of the "mexican horns" after they reportedly came to him in a dream. His relationship with June Carter both on and off stage also worked to reinforce his outlaw image, with them both being famously involved while still in relationships with other people. The popularity of Ring of Fire only added to his increasing addictions, pressure, and added to the demons he struggled to fight. While his adulterous relations with June Carter fed and maintained the outlaw image, they were mostly overlooked because of his highly self-destructive addictions.